TELUGU JAMBULAIAH Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Aggrieved by the conviction and sentence recorded by judgment dtd. 30/6/2017 in Sessions Case No. 531 of 2008 on the file of the Court of learned I Additional Sessions Judge, Kurnool (for short, 'the trial Court'), accused Nos. 1 and 3 to 6 therein filed the present criminal appeal before this Court.

(2.) Originally, the police filed charge sheet against accused Nos. 1 to 5. During the pendency of trial, accused No. 2 died and therefore case against him was dismissed as abated by order dtd. 16/9/2011 and one Telugu Ramanjaneyulu was added as accused No. 6 as per the orders in Criminal M.P.No. 441 of 2012 dtd. 22/4/2015. As such, accused Nos. 1 and 3 to 6 faced trial. On 10/2/2025 when the appeal was taken up for hearing, learned counsel appearing for the appellants informed this Court that the appellants-accused Nos. 5 and 6 died pending the criminal appeal which fact was not disputed by learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent-State. Accordingly, this Court, by order dtd. 25/2/2025, has dismissed the appeal against the appellants-accused Nos. 5 and 6 as abated. Consequently, the present appeal is taken up and considered only against the appellants-accused Nos. 1, 3 and 4.

(3.) Initially, accused Nos. 1 to 5 were tried by the trial Court under the following charges: